Sewing machine and method of splicing fabric together



Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR

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Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLIGING FABRIC TOGETHER m T m V m 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAMES A. CASH, JR.

ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 16, 1965 Aug. '22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR 3,335,886

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER R 3 Mm mw m m M Z/Um m A A m mam M/ Filed Aug. 16, 1965 Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR 3,336,886

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER Filed Aug. 16, 1965 r 10 Shets-Sheet 4 PASS LINE [TH-I [H] I FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

JAMES A. CASH, JR-

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ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR 3,336,885

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER Filed Aug. 16,. 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 i A I75 in A v I??? 46 1 2 5s 'I; Q; 25 J"? M I I H 26(27,28,29)

FIG. 5

INVENTOR JAMES A. CASH, JR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 16, 1965 INVENTOR. JAMES A. CASH, JR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR

SEWING MACHINE ANDMETHOD OF SPLIC'ING FABRIC TOGETHER l0 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 16, 1965 2E $25 51 w v Q I N VENTOR.

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v ll I mm w w mm ATTORNEY 2, 1967 .1. A. CASH, JR 3,336,886

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER Filed Aug. 16, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet, 8

FIGLH Z n29 :40 I42 INVENTOR. JAMES A. CASH, JR.

ATTOR NEY Aug. 2 2, 1967 J. A. CASH, JR

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER Filed Au 16, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 JAMES A. CASH, JR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1967 J. CASH, JR

SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER Filed Aug. 15, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR. JAMES A. CASH, JR.

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ATTDRNEY United States Patent 3,336,886 SEWING MACHINE AND METHOD OF SPLICING FABRIC TOGETHER James A. Cash, Jr., La Grange, Ky., assignor to The Akron Standard Mold Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 479,800 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relatesto a sewing machine particularly adapted for splicing two pieces of fabric together. It includes the method as well as the apparatus. It is designed particularly for splicing two pieces of tire-cord fabric. It is also useful for sewing any type of fabric capable of being penetrated by a sewing needle, including films, foils, rubber, etc., as in the manufacture of belts, clothing, tents, etc.

In the machine of this invention, the sewing head is positioned at an angle of 90 to the position of the head in a conventional sewing machine, and the head moves across the fabric which remains stationary. Although the machine may embody a single needle, it is designed particularly for a plurality of needles. Although it may be designed for producing any type of stitch, it is particularly designed for use with a two-thread chain stitch (sometimes referred to as a double-lock stitch).

In the preferred form of the invention, the fabric is supported on a table and the sewing head is moved back and forth across the fabric and sews as it moves in each direction, and at the end of the forward stroke the fabric is indexed so that in the return stroke the needles follow a different path than in the forward stroke. The fabric is clamped in place on the table and the table is so de signed that it separates into two parts longitudinally of the machine so that the sewing head moves across the fabric between the two parts where the fabric is not supported from below. In a prefer-red form of the invention, one part of the table is held stationary while the other part moves away from it to stretch the fabric and hold it taut during sewing. After the sewing head has completed its forward motion, both parts of the table are moved laterally (90 to the stitching line) simultaneously, and the sewing head then returns in a different path. This movement of the parts of the table between the forward and return strokes is referred to herein as indexing.

The return of the sewing head follows the forward motion immediately, without hesitation. The preferred means for accomplishing this is an internal gear rack with the two sides elongated to provide for the forward and return motions of the sewing head carriage which is connected with pinion means which fol-lows the rack, and as the pinion moves from the side of the rack which provides the forward motion of the sewing head to the side which provides for the return motion, the table is indexed so that in the return motion the sewing head is in a dilferent path on the fabric from the path it follows in the forward motion.

Although reference has been made more particularly to the sewing head moving in one direction or moving forward and then returning, it is to be understood that the fabric and sewing head may move in any direction relative to one another. For example, as the sewing head is moving in a straight line, the table may be moved back and forth laterally so that the sewing head makes a Zigzag path with respect to the fabric.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings as related to the use of the operation, although it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the sewing ma- 3,336,886 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 carriage;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the table, shown in the clamped position and with the parts separated for stretching the fabric;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of FIGURE 2 with parts broken away, showing the sewing carriage in phantom lines on the left;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, showing the table fully retracted;

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FIGURE 4, but taken on line 55 of FIGURE 3, showing the table clamped and indexed in phantom lines;

FIGURE 6 is a section similar to FIGURES 4 and 5 taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, showing the parts of the table in the separated position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to the upper portion of FIGURE 6, showing the tail and leader fabrics in the clamped and stretched position;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary enlargement of a holding pin, shown extended in its environment;

FIGURE 10 is a schematic plan view showing the sewing pattern;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary end view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11, showing the holding pins extended and the tail and leader pinned;

FIGURE 13 is a front elevation of the trough end of the machine, and shows the sewing carriage; and

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of FIGURE 13 with the sewing head broken away, showing the looper head and carriage drive.

The sewing machine includes a base 1, a sewing-head carriage 2, an upper sewing head 3 (the: needle system), and a lower sewing head 4 (the looper system) which together form the sewing combination. The table assembly 7 includes two portionsa right portion 8 which is relatively stable, and a left or movable portion 9 the tops of which form the table. The rollers 11 and 12 provide a support for the fabric which is held taut against the respective portions 8 and 9 of the table by the clamping bars 14 and 15. While the sewing-head carriage is in a static non-operating position, the fabric is fed from a feed roll over the two rollers 11 and 12 to a festoon (not shown) for storage of the fabric before being processed. If the fabric being spliced is tire fabric, it may be fed. eventually, to a dip tank or calender, etc.

As an end of a piece of fabric approaches the splicing machine, the speed of travel of the fabric is usually slowed down and then it is stopped. There are two series of pins 16 and 17 (FIGURES 9 and 12) at the inner edge of the respective portions of the table, and the tail-end of the fabric T is first impressed over each of these pins to produce a span of the tail-end of the fabric between the two portions of the table. This span is supported by the movable fingers 19. The leader end L of the other fabric is then brought in and placed over the pins, spanning the gap already bridged by the trailing end of the preceding roll.

Extending longitudinally of the base is the drive shaft 25 (FIGURE 3). On each side of the drive shaft are four aligned stationary shafts .26, 27, 28 and 29 (27-29 not shown); 30, 31, 32 and 33, about which the two sides of the table pivot. The right side of the table includes four supports 35, 36, 37 and 38 mounted on the shafts 26, 27, 28 and 29. This permits the right side of the table to move slightly in indexing, as will be explained. The left side of the table includes four supports 40, 41, 42 and 43 pivotally supported on the shafts 30, 31, 32 and 33.

Extending longitudinally of the table and adjacent the right side is a pivot shaft (FIGURE 2) supported by the supports 46, 47 and 48 which are rigidly attached to the base 1. Suspended from the shaft 45 by three arms 50, 51 and 52 is the shifting bar or T-bar (FIGURES 3, 5) and it is rigidly attached thereto. The shifting bar 55 is connected to the right of the table at the ends thereof by turnbuckles 57 and 58. The t-urnbuckles 57 and 58 at one end are each pivotally attached to the support members 50 and 52, respectively, and at the other end of each is pivotally attached at points 59 and 60 to the top of the table 8.

Spaced from the ends of the left-hand portion of the table, the fabric-stretching portion of the table, are the two arms (FIGURE 6) and 66 which are pivoted about two short shafts 68 and 69 within the base and extend from the supports to the center of the base 1 where a cam follower 70 is attached. This roller follows a cam track 71 in a cam mounted on the shaft 25, the purpose of which will be later described. The arms 65 and 66 extend up to points near the underside of the left-hand working table 9 where they are attached to the inner ends of two turnbuckles 74 (FIGURES 6, 7). The outer ends of the turnbuckles are pivotally attached to the finger blocks 76. The finger bar is attached to these finger blocks from which the fingers 19 extend through openings in the top of the table under a retaining bar 82 which is rigidly attached to the table. Passing through each of the blocks 76 is a rod 83 surrounded by a compression spring 84 located between blocks 76 and the back leg 86 of table 9.

In splicing two ends of fabric, the ends are first pinned together by pins as earlier described, and held by clamping bars 14, 15 (FIGURES 5, 6, 8) and then the stretching half of the table 9 is moved outward while the indexing half remains stationary. The cam followers 70, located on the lower extension of arms 65 and 66 following tracks 71, in cams 99 pivot the arm about shafts 68 and 69 moving the upper end of arms 65 and 66 outboard, pushing blocks 76, retracting fingers 19 from the space between the two halves of the table. This occurs during the first 80 percent of the driving portion of the track 71. At that point the blocks 76 make contact with the compression springs 84. Continuing in this outboard direction, blocks 76 push table 9 away from the indexing table 8, stretching the fabric which has been clamped to the respective table portions.

The clamping bars 14, 15 are pivotally supported on short shafts 90 which extend outwardly from rigid supports at the opposite ends of the table. The tie rods 92 and 93 at the forward end of the machine, and the tie arms 94 and 95 at the rear of the table are attached at their upper ends to the clamps 14 and 15, respectively, and at their lower ends are attached to arms 96 (FIG- URE 4) through a pivot 97 at one end of the rods 96 and at their other ends are mounted on pivot shafts 98.

The two cams 100 (FIGURE 4) are identical in construction with the cams in which the cam tracks 71 are located, and are mounted on the shaft 25. Followers 101 attached to the arms 96 are located in tracks 102. The cam tracks 71 (FIGURE 6) do the stretching and the cam tracks 102 (FIGURE 4) do the clamping. When the sewing-head carriage is static and away from the fabric, cams 70 are in the down position and the cams 101 are in the up position.

After the portions of the two fabrics have been pinned to the table top, the motor 105 is put in operation and this drives the drive shaft 25. The motor drives the drive shaft through 180 and then it comes to a complete stop, aided by a motor brake (not shown). This clamps the fabric between the clamp bars and the table top, retracts the fingers 19 and stretches the fabric. A separate motor 150 moves the sewing-machine carriage across the fabric and back again, making the splice at which time the sewing threads are manually cut. Upon the return of the carriage to its static position, the motor 105 is again actuated to rotate the drive shaft 25 through 180 to complete its cycle. This first releases the clamping bars and then returns the fingers and table portions to their starting positions. As soon as the clamping bars are released the fabric is free to continue its forward movement to the festoon, even While the fingers 19 are being returned to their normal position. The pins 16 and 17 are retracted manually during the sewing cycle, to release the fabric and remain in this retracted position while preparing for the next splice.

In preparation for making the splice the operator pulls handle (FIGURES 1,3) outward to disengage the pin 121 from the notch 122 in the handle arm which is pivoted at 123 to the arm 43. This movement of the handle compresses the spring 125. This enables arms 126 and 127 (FIGURES 11, 12) to rise raising pins 16 and 17. The arms which are spring-loaded through a leverage system are pivotally supported on shafts 128 and 129 which extend the length of the respective table portions. Attached to each of these shafts are two lever arms 130 which are spring-loaded at 131 to hold the pins in their raised position by means of four other lever arms 133 which are attached to shafts 128 and 129. Each pin is located within a compression spring 135 (FIGURE 9) which reacts between the pin holder 136 and bar 82. As the handle 138 on bar 126 is manually depressed, the springs 135 depress the pins into the tops of the table portions. The roller 140 on bar 127 is loosely engaged in the slot 142 in bar 126. When the handle 138 is depressed, the shafts 128 and 129 are pivoted and this lowers arms 133 allowing springs 135 to depress the pins, and spring 125 pushes arm 120 inward so that the notch 122 engages pin 121 and holds pins 16 and 17 depressed until another splice is ready to be made.

The sewing-head carriage 2 comprises the upper sewing head 3 (the needle system) and the lower sewing head 4 (the looper system). The motor (FIGURE 13) through the pulley 151 drives the double sheave 152. The V-belt 153 drives the pinion gear shaft 154 from the double sheave. The clutch 158 is designed to engage the double sheave in order to rotate the needle drive shaft 159, and the looper drive shaft 160 is driven from shaft 159 by the gear belt 162. The pinion gear shaft 154 is driven at all times, and the clutch is provided so that the sewing mechanism can be engaged and disengaged. The clutch 158 is engaged (manually or automatically) to operate after the needles have been located above the fabric and it is disengaged at the time that the needles leave the fabric. The sewing-head carriage continues its motion after the clutch is disengaged for a distance great enough to clear the tables so that the clamping mechanism can operate.

The drive shaft 154 driven by V-belt 153 extends through a support sleeve which is pivoted through pillow blocks 166. The front end of the support sleeve is attached to a right-angle gear system 168 which is supported by a cam roll 169 fastened to the gear box 168 and rides on a plate 170 on the front of the carriage 2 for the purpose of supporting the weight of the gear box 168. Suitable drive means are provided in this gear box 168 for driving the pinion gear shaft 171 which drives the horizontal pinion 172. Attached to the pinion shaft below 1 the pinion is a cam roller 173.

The pinion 172 meshes with the gear rack 175 (FIG- URE 2) which borders an elongated opening rounded at each end, so that as the pinion is driven it moves the carriage forward along one side of the rack and returns it along the other side of the rack, the cam roller being guided first along one side of the retainer bar 176 and then along the other side of this retainer bar.

The movement of the pinion and cam roller from one side of the retainer bar to the other is possible because the shaft housing 165 is pivoted in the pillow blocks 166.

On the right side of the gear box 168 are two rollers 177 (FIGURE 5), so spaced and located that they ride on either side of the T-bar 55 which is located underneath the table portion 8. As the gear box 168 is propelled or driven around the end of the rack, the rollers 177 shift the T-bar 55 inboard, indexing the fabric for making the return pass so as to position the return sewing 178 (FIG- URE between the forward rows of sewing 179. The T-bar is connected to the supporting arms 50 and 52 and turnbuckles 57 and 58 (FIGURE 6) connect with the underside of the table 8. The left-hand portion 9 of the table is spring-loaded so that as the right-hand portion 8 moves in, the left-hand portion 9 moves out. This indexing shifts the fabric under the needles so that in the return pass the needles follow return paths, as explained.

The sewing-head carriage 2 advantageously has an exceedingly long throat to enable it to span wide fabrics such as fabrics 6t), 70 or more inches in width.

The needle drive shaft 159 (FIGURE 13) is supported through the upper arm of the carriage 2 by bearings 180 located at either end of the upper arm. On the forward end of the needle shaft is a timing gear 181 which drives a timing belt 182 which drives timing gear 183 attached to crank shaft 184 which actuates link-arm 1 85 which provides the up-and-down movement of the sewing needles 187.

Looper drive shaft 160, passing through the lower arm of the carriage 2 is supported by bearings 190 and coupled directly to mechanism within the lower head 4 to operate the looper 191 and the thread retainer 192 to produce a double-lock or two-thread chain stitch. It is to be understood that other mechanism for producing a stitch, which may be a head with a shuttle which produces the conventional lock stitch, may be used. Suitable sewing means has been employed in the sewing heads to produce a sewed splice.

The mechanism and operation described are illustrative. The invention is covered in the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. A sewing machine which includes an elongated base a sewing head which includes at least one needle with means for moving the same back and forth longitudinally of the base, and means for sewing as the head is moved in at least one direction and a fabric-supporting table formed in two parts arranged longitudinally of the base with means for fastening fabric to said respective parts and means for separating the parts to make the fabric taut and to form a path for movement of the sewing head between them.

2. The sewing machine of claim 1 which includes means for making a two-thread chain stitch.

3. The sewing machine of claim 1 for splicing two pieces of fabric in which the means for fastening fabric to the respective parts of the table includes a row of pins projecting upwardly from each part.

4. The sewing machine of claim 1 in which means is provided for relative lateral movement of the sewing head and said parts adjacent each end of the base, the movement adjacent one end being opposite to the movement at the other end so that on movement of the head longitudinally of the base it follows a different path in each direction.

5. The method of operating a sewing machine to splice two overlapped pieces of fabric near the respective ends thereof, which comprises holding said pieces adjacent the respective ends thereof at spaced locations byseparate holding means, the respective holding means each holding one of the pieces adjacent the end thereof and the other piece at a distance more remote from the end thereof, separating the holding means and thereby holding the overlapped area of both piece taut, reciprocating a needle in a sewing head in the taut areas of the pieces, and producing relative movement between the pieces of fabric and the needle in a direction perpendicular to the needle and sewing the two pieces together.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the reciprocating needle is fed with two threads and the method includes making a two-thread chain stitch.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the fabric is held stationary and the reciprocating needle is moved relatively to the fabric.

8. The method of claim 5 in which the two pieces are spliced together by reciprocating a plurality of evenly spaced needles in the sewing head, while holding the pieces of fabric taut and stationary, and stitching the pieces together by moving the sewing head across the overlapped pieces of fabric in one direction, indexing by moving the fabric and needles relative to one another substantially one half the distance between the individual needles to position the needles between the row of stitches produced in said movement in one direction, and then by moving the sewing head in the opposite direction producing rows of stitches between the rows of stitches produced by movement in said one direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,012 6/1933 Brintnall et al 112-2 3,044,426 7/ 1962 Schwarzberger 112-2 X 3,160,124 12/1964 Cash l12-2 3,167,041 1/1965 Briggs 112--2 3,190,247 6/1965 Schifano et al 1122 3,227,115 1/1966 Bono 112-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 513,335 8/1952 Belgium.

JORDAN FRANKLE, Primary Examiner. I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SEWING MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES AN ELONGATED BASE A SEWING HEAD WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE NEEDLE WITH MEANS FOR MOVING THE SAME BACK AND FORTH LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BASE, AND MEANS FOR SEWING AS THE HEAD IS MOVED IN AT LEAST ONE DIRECTION AND A FABRIC-SUPPORTING TABLE FORMED IN TWO PARTS ARRANGED LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BASE WITH MEANS FOR FASTENING FABRIC TO SAID RESPECTIVE PARTS AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE PARTS TO MAKE THE FABRIC TAUT AND TO FORM A PATH FOR MOVEMENT OF THE SEWING HEAD BETWEEN THEM. 